Fuse



Sept. 17, 1940. M c. COOLEY FUSE Filed April 20, 1939 Patented Sept. 17 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUSE corporation of Missouri Application April 20, 1939, Serial No. 268,865

6 Claims.

This invention relates to fuses, and with regard to certain more specific features, to opentype fuses.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a very simple but reliable open type fuse; the provision of a fuse of the class described in which a single means is used for holding a fuse link in position on its line terminals, for effecting separation after fusion and for assisting thereafter in properly directing away from said line terminals the conducting elements which are used on opposite ends of the fusible element; and the provision of a fuse of the class described which may readily be refused. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinaften The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodiments of the invention, p

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my new fuse, th fuse link thereof .being shown in solid lines in connected and conducting position, and in dotted lines in a separated and non-conducting position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the solid-line portions of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of a fuse link, a certain tubular portion around the fusible element being shown in cross section for clarity.

Similar reference characters indicate 'corre-- sponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral a bracket supporting an insulator 3. On the opposite ends of the insulator are aifixed supporting blocks 5 to which conducting arms or horns 9 are bolted at 'l.

The arms 9 are substantially rigid, preferably being brass castings of a T-section. Each T- section has a web II and a flange l3. The rear portions of the ribs I3, near -the insulator 3, are formed with eyes2| for slidably receiving connector bolts 23 by means of which line wires 25 may be brought into electrical connection with the line terminals 9.

At the outer end of each line terminal 3 i formed a pair of upstanding fingers IS; .The members of each pair of these fingers form beconsists of a fusible portion consisting of a melting section 21 and a strain wire 29. These are joined to an upper flexible conductor loop by means of a conducting crimped thimble 3|. They are also joined to a lower flexible conductor 3'! by means of a conducting crimped thimble 33. The conducting sleeves or thimbles 3| and 33 are crimping means which serve to hold together the elements 21 and 29 and to place them in electrical conducting relationship with the upper loop 35 and a lower flexible shunt wire 31.

The lower flexible wire 31 is in turn held by acrimping thimble 39 which places the flexible conductor 31 in electrical communication with a lower flexible conductor loop 4|. The loops 35 and 4|, as well as the shunting portion 31 are preferably made of flexible, stranded wire. However, the loops 35 and 4| maybe rigid.

The crimping sleeves 3| and 33 are provided with guides 43 and 45 respectively upon which is separably supported an insulating sleeve 46 composed of a material such as fiber.

The crimping thimbles 33 and 39 besides holding the flexible conducting wire 3.1, also hold the ends of a tension spring 41. The parts of the fuse link are so arranged that the ends of the loops'35 and 4| are normally closer together than the fixed distance between the bottoms r of the notches between the fingers l5.

placed within the lower loop 4|v and said loop pulled down into engagement with the lower V- notch between the lower fingers l5 on the lower line terminal 9. This stretches the spring 41, the flexible shunt wire 31 accommodating itself in form. Therefore, when the hook stick is released from the loop 4|, the condition prevails such as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. At this time the spring 47 is stretched, the flexible wire portion 31 is extended, and the strain wire 29 is in tension.

Upon an overload, the fusible section 21 and the strain portion 29 separate. Since the sleeve 46 is simply slidable on the supports 43 and 45, the spring 41 pulls down the lower crimping member 33. This involves release of the separating reaction which, by rebound, drives the opposite ends of the fuse links more or less into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, wherein both the loops 35 and may leave the notches between the pairs of fingers 15. Permanent separation of both the upper and lower portions of the link fromthe line terminals 9 is facilitated by the sloping portions l9 which when stuck by the separating fuse link fragments deflect these forwardly and away from the insulator 3 and consequently away from the line wires 25. The outward curved forms of the ends I! of the fingers l5 also facilitate this forward direction of motion. The lower fuse link fragment certainly drops to the earth, and the upper one may also do so.

It will be understood that not always is there enough reaction to drive the upper lighter fragment of the fuse link entirely from the upper notch. However, in any event, it is never driven toward the line wire 25, and even though it should settle back into position in the notch, its location there is harmless.

All of the tension used in providing the reaction for separating the fuse link fragments is provided by the spring 41 and substantially none is provided by the relatively rigid line terminal 9. The result is astructure of great simplicity and economy.

It is to be understood that the application of the fuse link may be inverted, that is, the loop 4i may be applied uppermost. In this event, the parts function inversely as above described. Either mode of application is satisfactory.

The loops 35 and ii constitute hooking means which have various mechanical equivalents, such as open rigid hooks and the like. Mechanical equivalents of the curved fingers l5 for forming notches may also be conceived. In the inverted mode of application, there is a somewhat better chance of the loop 41 leaving the upper notch, because of the kinetic energy in thethen upwardly moving spring 47. In this case, the relatively light portions of the loop 35 fall away by gravity from the lower notch.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A fuse comprising substantially rigid line terminals laterally directed with respect to gravity and having oppositely located link-receiving notch portions, one terminal being above the other, a fuse link having hooking means for attachment over said link-receiving notch portions, said fuse link including a tensioning element therein.

2. A fuse comprising substantially rigid oppositely located line terminals, said terminals being curved away from one another toward their ends, a fuse link, means substantially at the ends of said link for hooking said fuse link over the terminals, and a tensioning spring in said fuse link.

3. A fuse comprising substantially rigid oppositely located line terminals, said terminals being curved away from one another toward their ends, said ends having open notches directed away from one another, a fuse link. means substantially at the ends of said terminals for hooking said fuse link over the terminals at the notches, and a tensioning spring in said fuse link.

4. A fuse comprising substantially rigid line terminals curved away from one another, fingers on the ends of said line terminals forming V- shaped notches which open away from one another, a fuse link comprising end means for hooking into said notches respectively, fusible means between said hooking portions, a tension spring in said fuse link, and a loose flexible conducting portion shunting said spring.

5. A fuse comprising substantially rigid line terminals, said terminals being oppositely located, a fuse link comprising endwise eyes of a conducting material, said eyes being respectively applicable to said line terminals, a fusible portion and a loose flexible portion serially connected be tween said conducting eyes, and a tension spring shunted by said loose flexible conducting portion.

6. A fuse link comprising endwise eyes composed of conducting material, a fusible portion and a loose flexible portion connected in series and between said conducting eyes, and a tension spring which is shunted by said loose flexible conducting portion.

MURRAY C. COOLEY.

DISCLAIMER 2,215,321.Mu'rray O. Cooley, University City, Mo. FUSE. Patent dated September 17, 1940. Disclaimer file-(l October 15, 1942, by the assignce, W'. N. Matthews Oorpomtion; the patentce assenting and concurring. Hereby disclaims claim 6 from said patent. [Ojficial Gazette November 10, 1.942.]

DISCLAIMER 2,215,321.Murray O. Cooley, University City, Mo. FUSE. Patent dated September 17, 1940. Disclaimer filed October 15, 1942, by the assignee, W. N. Matthews Corporation; the patentee assenting and concurring. Hereby disclaims claim 6 from said patent.

[Ofiioz'al Gazette November 10, 1942.] 

